Loudspeaker mounting



Nov.r10, 1936.l w. A. ELLMQRE 2,060,666

LOUDSPEAKER MOUNT ING Filed Ap'ril 4, 1935 Patented Nov. l0, 1936 uNiTED'sTATss Pa'riazN'r oFFiCE n nonnsrnritsonnmd I Appluon 4, 1935, serialNq. 14,6651 s claim. l(ci. zes-1) The invention relates generally toloudspeaker mountings and more particularly -to the mounting of such devicesin motor vehicles.

A general object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmounting for loud speakers whereby the device is located for mosteillcient audibility as far as every passenger of the vehicle isconcerned, is entirely concealed from view, and in which the structureof the associated vehicle part may be utilized in a novel manner toenhance the performance of the device."

Another object is to provide a speaker mount-Il ing which utilizes apart of a concealed space pro,

vided by the vehicle construction as a .receiving chamber, andby apredetermined arrangement of means concealed within said spacematerlalIy enhances speaker performance. l

A further objectis to provide amounting for a loud speaker on the headerof a motor vehicle and within the space partially defined thereby.

Still another object resides in the provision of a speaker mounted inthe space between the outer wall of the vehicle top and the inner wallor header and having associated means in said g5 space for utilizing itas an air column to increase the effectiveness of speakerperformance incertain desired respects. c

Other objects and advantages will become ap.- parent in the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the frontportion of a representative vehicle top construction embodying thefeatures of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on a reduced scale taken along the line2-2 of Fig.1.

rig. s is av view similar toria. 2 winmut the loud speaker andillustrates a modined form of structure. 4o While the invention issusceptible of various modifications and alternativel constructions, I`have shown in the drawing andwill herein dev scribe in `detail thepreferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not therebyintend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intendto cover all modifications and alternative constructions 'fallingwithinthe spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims. l f

Theobiects of the invention are preferably attained by locating the4loud speaker of a radio receivins' awmtus'of the type especiallyadapted for motor vehicle installation in the space formed lbetween theouter and inner walls of the top construction and particularly in thespace at the front end of the vehicle top at which point the inner'wallcomprises a plate member, known as the header or header bar, which isfirmly secured in place and has an angular position facing generallyrearwardly and downwardly of the vehicle "f body. This header-'servesadmirably as a vsupport for the speaker, may be apertured to permit thesound vibrations to pass freely from the speaker, and is usually coveredwith rabricor other suitable body lining material so that the 10 speakeris entirely concealed. The angular p0- sition of4 the header, ,andconsequently of the speaker, directs the sound vibrations in the propermanner to be most effectively received by every occupant of the vehicle.The space in which the 15 speaker is mounted is muchllistrger than thespeaker itself and baille or partition means may be provided for closingof! a partof the space in such manner as to desirably enhance theperformance of the speaker. 20 I,

`Referring more particularly to thedrawin'g, the numeral I0 designates asection of the top of a motor vehicle of present day construction whichembodies, in general, an outer top wall Il and an inner top `wall I2.For convenience in illustrating the invention, the top structure hereinv Y shown is substantially that of a Ford automobile but it is to belunderstood that the invention is net limited to this make of vehicle.The outerl top wall, as shownin Fig. 1, slopes downwardly .3'0 at thefront and thence is turned rearwardly to .meet the upper edge of thewindshield assembly Il. The front of the inner top wall is defined I bya plate or header Il which is fashioned to join the rearward turn oitheouter top wall, and is 35 suitably secured in an angular plane whichfaces generally rearwardly and' downwardly.- Thus, a space Il isprovided between the two walls which extends across the top of the body.The header is normally detachably secured in place by screws .40

or Athe like (not shown). spaced braces i6 extend 'in a front to reardirection within the space Il, two such braces being located near thelongitudinal center line of the body, and an elongated-- tacking stripl1 (Fig. 2) lextends across and is' 4K5 secured to said braces. Normallythis strip is continuous but in this'instance it is cut awaybetween thecenter-braces to provide clearance for the speaker. Traversing the topstructure rear- 50 wardly of the upper edge of-'the header is a top bowIl (Fig. 1). The top interior is usually finished with a liningzfabricorthe like, 'a piece of which Il'is suitably secured as by adhesive tothe exposed face of the header. .Another strip 2l 55 mensions which willpermit of its insertion bey tween the outer wall Il and the header Il issuitably secured in place preferably between the center braces.

sound vibrations produced by the speaker are directed downwardly andrearwardlywithin the body resulting in substantially perfect audibilityto every occupant of the vehicle. For securing the speaker to theheader, such holding means as a plurality of detachable clamps 22 on theinner side of the header for engaging the rim of-the cone support aremost suitable. clamps are supplied on the header a speaker may bequickly installedby merely removing the' header holding screws, loweringthe upper edge of the header, clamping the speaker in place,

and restoring the parts to their originaPposition. The wiringconnections 23 to the set may be built in the body and terminate in onesection of a detachable connector- 24, the other section of which isattached to the leads 25-from the speaker. In fashioning the header,suitable apertures, formed on the order of` grille work 28 (Fig. 3) areprovided opposite the predetermined location of the speaker cone toprovide for substantially unimpaired transmission of sound vibrations.Thelining material I9 on the header covers these apertures andcompletely conceals them as well as the speaker when it is installed.

The speaker occupies only a relatively small portion of thesubstantially closed space dened by the outer wall, header,'1iningmaterial, top bow and sides of the top, and it has been foundadvantageous to provide means for utilizing a portion of this space andthe parts dening it materially to improve speaker performance. Thismeans generally comprises partitions or the like for blocking of! thespace in a predetermined manner to effect the desired result.

As shown in Figs. '1 and 2, a panel 2T which may be formed, among otherthings, of Wood. cardboard, fibre or `similar composition material, ismounted in the space to extend rearwardly and upwardly from the upperedge of the header to the top bow i8. 'I'he panel extends only throughthe central portion of the space so stops short of either side of thetop and may be conveniently secured in place 'to bear iirmly against theheader by taoklng or otherwise fastening it to the top bow I8 at therear edge and by extending at least-parts of the front edge across theupper edge of the headerinto .engagement with thev centerbraces I6. Thepanel thus mounted servers f as a bafde and enhances speaker performancein'`l that it .prevents sound vibrations produced by the It is alsopreferred that the j speaker be secured to the header so that the tion'ofthe speaker.

rear side of the cone from cancelling those created by the front side.

Referring to the structure shown in Fig. 3, the space is suitablypartitioned oil! along the upperI edge of the header and at each endthereof by such means as strips of sponge rubber 28 whereby to provide aclosed air column extending transversely of the top from opposite sidesof the speaker. Near one or both ends of the closed column, apertures 28of predetermined dimensions, number and/location may be provided in theheader to form partially open air columns. These columns will havedouble frequency characteristics, selected to bring out or increase theintensity of desired audio frequencies, particularly those ofthe lownotes, which might otherwise be lost due to the failure oi' a speakerwith a normal bame to reproduce them or` not produce them with suitableintensity. Ii such From the foregoing. it will be evident that a novelarrangement has been provided wherein a space provided as a part of avehicle construction is combined with a loud speaker to enhance thereproduction thereof. Moreover, the present in- (vention provides aspeaker mounting in which the device may be quickly and easilyinstalled, and is entirely concealed from View. As a further feature,the position of the speaker near the top and front avoids to aconsiderable extent interference with reproduction by the audiovibrations incident to vehicle operation and its generally downward andrearward direction results in most eiilcient transmission of the soundvibrations to each occu pant of the vehicle. f

I claim as my invention:

1. A loud speaker Imounting comprising the combination with the outerwall of the top of a vehicle and a spaced inner wall including a header,a loud speaker mounted behind said header in the space between saidheader and said outer wall,-

the space between said wall and header, and baille' means extendingbeyond opposite sides of the speaker and from the rearward edge of theheader to said fixed part.

3. A loud speaker mounting inmotor vehicle comprising the combinationwith the outer top -vehicle wall and the header spaced therefrom, of

ar speaker mounted in the space between said wall and header, and baillemeans secured to extend beyond opposite sides of the speaker andrearwardly from the rearward edge of the header to close oil! a part ofthe air space ailected by opera- WIM'AB A. MORE.

